Eden

by SW MO Hermit

Desc: Fiction Story: Soldier retires after his last deployment to Iraq. Follow him as he settles into his little piece of Eden and enjoys the rest of his life.

I Want to Once Again Thank My Editor "Wires" for His Editing and Ideas on This Story. His Efforts Make My Submissions Much Better and More Readable.

Three weeks after Baghdad was taken things were still dangerous but were calming down somewhat. Platoon Sergeant (PSG) Thomas Simms was with his Platoon Leader 2Lt (Second Lieutenant) Marvin Paul inspecting checkpoints his platoon were responsible for when once again they found themselves in the middle of a hot zone. A large Russian truck with Iraq Army markings was roaring toward the checkpoint. Instead of slowing down as they neared the check point the large truck actually increased its speed. Dust was billowing out behind the vehicle. The engine was roaring as the truck bore down on the flimsy barrier across the road.

PSG Simms jerked his head around when he heard the engine roar increase in volume. His soldiers watched in surprise for a moment. Just as he started to tell them to fire on the truck they began to move and took it under fire. Now his attention turned to his young inexperienced Platoon Leader. Like an idiot the young lieutenant stepped to the side of the road and held his arms up to signal the truck to stop. PSG Simms began running toward the LT. He yelled, "Lieutenant, get down. The LT just glanced over his shoulder for a moment at his running PSG then turned his attention back to the speeding truck. PSG Simms watched in horror as the blossom of rifle fire came from the truck. He yelled at the lieutenant once again, "Sir! GET DOWN!"

The lieutenant had only been with the unit for three days and was thinking with his stateside brain in spite of the training he received. He looked at the PSG once again with a puzzled expression. Finally his brain understood the situation. A look of horror and comprehension covered his face. He started to move away from the road toward cover. His mouth opened to say something when he was hit. He stumbled back and fell to the ground where he lay unmoving.

PSG Simms turned to the remainder of his section and said, "You know the drill. Take those rag headed bastards out now. Immediately, an increased amount of rifle fire reached out to the truck. At first it held its line of travel then the driver slumped over the wheel and the truck veered off the road and nosed into a two story building. When it came to a stop the cab was inside the building and debris had fallen all around it.

PSG Simms looked around and motioned some of his soldiers to approach the truck to verify all the combatants were neutralized. He felt some trepidation when he saw his assistant platoon sergeant SSG Samantha Peters stand and motion to two of her section. She led them toward the truck. PSG Simms watched in admiration as she maneuvered her soldiers toward the objective. They were doing it right. She moved herself and her men from cover to cover, her head always moving, checking for threats. He felt his cock twitch when he saw the absolutely perfect ass and legs flex and move what he knew was a superior body toward her objective.

No, there was nothing physical between the two senior NCO'S of the platoon but there could have been. They were close friends and spent as much time together as the job and regulations allowed. They both suspected there could be something wonderful between them if regulations didn't prohibit them dating. These two were, after all, good soldiers. They did their job well, followed the regulations and expected others to do the same. No, there was nothing between them except unrequited desire, deep respect, friendship and a longing for more. At times, when it was acceptable for them to interact socially they did so with gusto. At company parties and other military mandated social meetings they spent much of their time together. They were a team on duty and knew what the other was thinking. That carried over to social occasions. They were comfortable together in all situations.

Both PSG Simms and SSG Peters were alone, some said loners, even haters of the opposite sex. It had not always been that way for PSG Simms. There were two failed serious relationships and one failed marriage in his past. After the divorce he tried one more time for a serious relationship but when it failed he decided no more. He couldn't go through the pain and suffering of another cheating bitch. Married life and the Army just didn't mix well, especially in today's environment of frequent long deployments.

PSG Simms mentally shook himself. He knew he was allowing his mind to drift dangerously. His attention to the tactical situation had become dangerously poor. He began to pull himself back to the present when he heard Sam yell, "Hey, Sarge. You need to come see this shit."

Simms looked up and saw his soldiers at their posts. The Check Point (CP) was manned, the soldiers were attentive. A medic was tending to the downed LT. The two men who accompanied SSG Peters were on guard at the sides of the truck while she went through the vehicle to identify the contents. One of the first things to be checked for was explosives. Simms felt his stomach lurch when he heard Sam call out. Crap, he thought. She's got a bomb. He was already planning troop dispositions if they had to relocate until the bomb was safed by EOD.

Simms walked rapidly but safely up to the truck and climbed inside to kneel beside SSG Peters. He looked at her first and said, "What cha got, Sam?"

She looked up at him in shock and licked her lips. She almost whispered, "Money, Tom. Bags and boxes of U.S. hundred dollar bills and more cases of hundred Euro bills. There's a fortune in this truck."

PSG Simms looked down at the containers in awe as Sam opened them and showed him the money. "Jesus," he whispered. The brass will shit when they see this. You watch this while I set better security and call it in."

Simms dropped from the truck and moved to the check point. He motioned the Corporal over and gave him instructions for tightening security. He called all the soldiers who were not actually manning the CP and sent them to form a better perimeter security without telling the Corporal why. He glanced again at the medic working on the LT to verify he was taken care of. Now he needed to call the brass. He jumped into the command Hummer and made the call asking for more security and the Company Commander. He didn't want to tell them why he needed more men so only reported the attack and injuries, requesting Dustoff (helicopter medical evacuation) for the LT.

After the radio call Simms moved the Hummer closer to the truck and CP. He sent the two guards away and he and Samantha took up the guard duties for the money and truck. Tom stood thinking about his life and future. His retirement papers were already turned in. He would retire from the Army with almost 21 years of service about five weeks after the unit returned to the states. His mind wandered to the money once again. Did he want to endanger not only his retirement but his very freedom and do something stupid?

Contrary to policy Sam wandered over beside Tom. She glanced at him briefly then at the truck and licked her lips. She said, "Damn, that's a lot of cash. My god, what someone could do with all that. Where do you think it all came from and where were they taking it?"

"Good questions, Sam. I know where I would like to take it and what I'd like to do with it."

Sam grinned up at him and gave him a hip but. Her eyes sparkled and she licked her lips before letting out a silent, "Yeah. FUCK, I'd like to have a bag of that. I've only got about eighteen months to go and I'm putting my papers in. I've had it with this army shit. I want to find me a man to love and make some babies. A bag of that money would sure make that easier." She looked at Tom from under her tilted head and continued, "You ever think about getting married and settling down?"

"Oh, yeah. Been there, done that, have the T-shirt. She couldn't take the army and cheated on me. She laughed when I caught her and took off with her lover. She never spoke to me from then until I divorced her and I haven't seen her since. I had a couple close calls in addition to the short marriage but they didn't take. You?"

"About the same. Got engaged once to another soldier. He couldn't keep it in his pants. Had a couple three others I got pretty close to. Lived with them for a while but it just wasn't right, ya know? Maybe after I get out. I hope so."

Sam moved off to the other side of the truck to watch from there. Tom stood watching his surroundings and thinking. He moved over to the truck and looked inside again. He really didn't think. He climbed into the truck and threw three of the bags of money out. One had Euros inside the other two were full of $100 bills. There were still five cases in the truck. He quickly took some money from the five cases inside and partially filled three bags to replace the ones he threw out. That returned the count to eight once again albeit ones with less money in each than they originally contained.

Simms quickly picked up the bags and moved to his Hummer. He buried the bags underneath the equipment he and the Lieutenant carried in the back. Unless it was searched the bags were not visible. Tom felt a surge of fear at what he had done. If he was caught it was court martial, loss of his pension, and probably prison. He almost took the bags out and put them back into the truck. He was actually walking toward the Hummer to do so when that option was taken out of his hands. His Company Commander drove up with the reinforcements.